AKT I
SCENE 1
Podolsk. Gym.
ANTON, SASHA and SEMEN are working out.
ANTON drops down hand weight.
ANTON. Fuck. I can't understand what the hell 's been going on with me recently?
SASHA. You 're getting a lot off your kiosk.
SEMYON. If I took that risk, I 'd be sucked
SASHA. I would also have died in chills for a long time at the thought that there is something somewhere. So, your shit is obvious - you 're shaking for your goods.
ANTON. I don't care about the goods, man.
SASHA. Perhaps are you in love?
ANTON. Are you kidding? Blast you!
SEMYON. Then probably just some dumps!
BORIS, LION and GRISHA enter.
SASHA. Oh, your relatives and your friends are here. We are taken up.
SEMYON. I would stay, but if dogs of one family are drinking, strangers’ dogs don't interfere.
SASHA and SEMEN leave.
GRISHA. Anton, you have a badly look!
ANTON. Yes, I am upset and I don’t know why! A kind of Melancholy!
GRISHA. And I like to laugh! So, don't be upset! I need to go and I leave.
LION. Let's meet at lunch.
Grisha and Lion leave.
ANTON. What was he talking about?
BORIS. Some Bull shit, as usual
ANTON. Ok. Now, come on, who is the girl you want to visit?
BORIS. You know very well how fucked I'm with the money. I got loans for a house, a car, a phone, another car, another phone, a computer, a play station, an X-box. You know me, I 'm not a loser. I am a real man. And my way of life is good and decent, just like it needs to be for every real man. Cars, girls, alcohol, good parties, clubs, baths, play station. Shortly, I owe lots of money. Banks, creditors, relatives, friends, mafia press me from all the sides. Especially, my ex-wife. And you, I owe you the most.
ANTON. It’s good that you remember that. I suppose, you want to return me part of it.
BORIS. No. Not a part.
ANTON (surprised) All of them?
BORIS. No, not all.
ANTON. Not all? It’s a pity. I need them for my kiosk. So, part then.
BORIS. No. Not a part.
ANTON (surprised) Not all, not a part. What when?
BORIS. Nothing.
ANTON. Nothing?
BORIS. If it is not the all and not the part. So, it can be only nothing.
ANTON. O, yes, of course. How didn’t I guess myself?
BORIS. You didn’t think.
ANTON. Yes, it should be this. So, why you speak about your depts if you can’t pay them now?
BORIS. As I said, I owe you the most part, almost everything indeed. And for this reason, I have to tell you about my plan to clear up debts altogether. And start living a full real life.
ANTON. I hope you haven’t signed up for another marathon, Money or How to Change Your life in ten days and Become a Millionaire.
BORIS. I beg you, do I look like such a freak?
ANTON. No, you don’t. It wouldn’t help you by the way.
BORIS. Do you doubt in me, brother?
ANTON. Absolutely not. So, what's the plan? Come on! Cough it up! And if the plan is the same bull shit as you, but the profit is great, then I 'm ready to invest in you once again.
BORIS. I didn't understand. Do you give me the money or not?
ANTON. Tell me. Then we will decide.
BORIS. You know me. You know, by nature, I 'm a tough businessman.
Remember, when I was a kid, I used to come up with ideas and make money as fast as I could.
ANTON. Are you talking about how much money you've made using women, or Mom and Dad? Or how you lived at your wife's expense? Or clients’ of this fitness center? Or friends’?
BORIS. I know, I owe a lot. But if you give me more, I 'm gonna make such a big deal that I will give you back all at once.
ANTON. Closer to business, brother.
BORIS. There is a girl in Ivanovo
ANTON. Here you go again, Boris! Well, your women don't bring you money, they don't. What can you do? What? Of course, they take you to a chic restaurant, make a scotch for you at night and may be a breakfast in the morning, if they are not on the diet.
Maybe they can buy a car, may be. But that’s all. They play with you and leave you. All their husbands or fathers are Jews. So, you really can't take much.
BORIS. Listen to me, please!
ANTON. I am all ears!
BORIS. There is a girl in Ivanovo
ANTON. There are a lot of them, I dare notice.
BORIS. To be married.
ANTON. These are even more. A half of city, if what is said is true.
BORIS. Olga.
ANTON. The name is fine.
BORIS. Surname is better.
(Boris takes out the magazine and shows the cover with a girl from the reality show “Three coffers”. ANTON suddenly changes in face, looks with attention at Boris.)
ANTON. No way!
BORIS. Yes.
ANTON. Is that the Olga that?
BORIS. Yes, she is! Well, her father passed away and left her lots of money. And business! Some people say, he wasn’t her father at all. You know what I mean? After, she had another father, two or three, uncles, friends. She made good money everywhere. Millions of dollars there! Millions! And now they're on bank accounts and in coffers. Safe, waiting for me to...
(Boris looks at the ceiling, dreaming)
ANTON. Only for you?
BORIS (breaking away from dreams). What?
ANTON. I 'm asking, are you the only one they are waiting for?
BORIS. My friend, you are right! A lot of men are running around her now! If I only had money, that woman would be mine!
ANTON. I put everything in my kiosk. You know, a small business is dying right now. Dollar and Euro took off and this damned crown virus. But if you're really sure that you can get this fianc;e and marry her and get all her money, even the part of them, then I 'll help you. All you have to do is find out which bank or man can still lend you money upon my name!
BORIS. My friend! I'll return you all my debts! I’ll fix this! I’ll work it off, I promise.
ANTON. Don't be afraid, I 'll take it all.
Anton and Boris leave.